Today's ravine walk under pewter skies

Our small twin devils are obviously healthy. Which explains why their haircoat grows so incredibly quickly. Because it's winter and cold out in the forest where we hike about daily we thought it best just to let their hair grow longer than usual, to keep them warm. Trouble is, when they're out and about without boots the long hair growing in the interstices of their paws between the pads attracts the snow and as they run about it gets packed down, turns into ice and becomes uncomfortable on their little paws.

On our return home we enter the laundry room from the garage, hoist them up on the laundry machines with a towel over top and drown their little paws in warm water to melt the snow and ice and remove any salt from the road they may have picked up. But if their paws are kept well trimmed of hair this won't happen. Besides which, their faces become so hairy when left untrimmed that you can scarcely see their eyes.

Jackie, barely visible on the kitchen floor; little wonder I sometimes stumble into him...

They're black and hard to photograph. Because they're black and there is no contrast to bring out details they just come out blurs, very unattractive. And when I've allowed their hair to grow too long they also become a little shapeless. Their natural shape is much increased by the layer of outgrown hair. They become little fluffy cushions with silky black hair. They cannot be overlooked in the snow, mind, because then the contrast is so great; sheer black-on-white.

Jackie (left) and Jillie, yesterday before their haircuts this morning....

But this morning I decided I'd go ahead and proceed with the dratted haircutting. I detest doing it just as much as they hate being trapped into my clutches with a roster of various-sized scissors just waiting to have a go at the poor little innocents. Jillie is more patient than Jackie throughout the process, but neither is what one could describe as compliant, let alone helpful.

But it's done now, they've both had haircuts and you can actually see their faces, and their melancholy little eyes, no longer peering through their matted head-hair.

There we are, haircuts established, and they've got bright little eyes after all!